'Tweeting' attracts unwelcome attention Sunday, June 7, 2015 Anyone who has followed the news likely knows the trials and tribulations of Appin dairy farmer Andrew Campbell, who planned to post a farm photo on his Twitter account every day this year and was subsequently attacked by anti-agriculture activists. Campbell is not unique in finding that launching a farming blog can bring unwelcome publicity. Wisconsin dairy farmer Carrie Mess and Alberta grain farmer Sarah Schultz told their stories at an Ontario Farm and Food Care conference in April. After Mess pronounced a PETA video allegedly showing abused cattle on a dairy farm in North Carolina a fraud on her blog, she "received a cease-and-desist order" from PETA, ordering her to take her blog off down. "I didn't . . . I framed (the letter) and put it up in my office." Because of the video the farmer couldn't find a market for his milk. The agricultural community should have supported the farmer, not abandoned him, Mess asserted. Schultz, wife of a farmer and a nurse, was investigated by her professional association after a local activist falsely accused her of selling health products from her website. How hateful does all this get? Schultz relates that, when she blogged that she was taking a holiday in Hawaii, "someone hoped my plane would crash." All three "agvocates" say they continue to tweet and blog because there is so much misinformation about agriculture on social media that needs to be corrected, and that is best done by farmers. BF Diversification: One farmer's answer to the crop rotation puzzle Farming electricity from plants
Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth Monday, June 30, 2025 Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online
Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility Friday, June 27, 2025 Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online
Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost Friday, June 27, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online
Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for pesticide application under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique... Read this article online
Twelve Ontario Agri-Businesses Receive Funding Support Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Bioenterprise Canada has announced the successful recipients of the second call for proposals under the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream. Twelve organizations across Ontario will receive support to bring innovative agri-food solutions to the... Read this article online